1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the activation of cerebral cells using the tuning of alpha waves, and more particularly to an alpha wave generation apparatus for generating alpha waves of specific frequencies and applying them to a cerebrum remaining inactive, to stimulate it and thus activate its function, thereby improving a person""s memory and studying capability.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, a person""s mind and body are relaxed while his brain is sunk in meditation. Also, the person""s brain is made active while he concentrates his attention on something. The fact that the person""s cerebrum emits brain waves of a frequency of 10xc2x112 Hz at such an active state has already been scientifically proved.
Consequently, such an active state of the cerebrum is regarded as the most preferable state in human life, which is the main object of most moral and physical cultures. However, it is next to impossible for a person to maintain the above cerebral active state whenever desiring it. As a result, there have been proposed devices for mechanically solving such maintenance.
However, such a proposed device has encountered various problems in that it stimulates a person""s sight or hearing sense to make his cerebrum active. For example, firstly, the device is adapted to stimulate the sense of sight or hearing using feeble energy. In this case, the stimulation is getting to be a cerebral habit, resulting in a reduction in effect. Secondly, the person cannot hear other ambient information when his ears are covered by the device. Thirdly, the person cannot view a book and other objects when his eyes are covered by the device.
In order to overcome the above problems, there have been studied and proposed devices wherein a coil for generation of an electromagnetic field of a specific frequency is put around a person""s head to stimulate his cerebrum.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing the construction of a conventional cerebral cell activation apparatus put around a person""s head, which is disclosed in Korean Patent Publication No. 96-623.
As shown in FIG. 1, the cerebral cell activation apparatus comprises a voltage controller 1 including a transformer T having primary, secondary and tertiary coils T1, T2 and T3 at a predetermined turn ratio. A transistor Q3 has its base connected to an output terminal of the primary coil T1 of the transformer T and its collector connected to an output terminal of the secondary coil T2 of the transformer T. First and second transistors Q1 and Q2 are connected in a Darlington manner through the primary coil T1 of the transformer T to drive the third transistor Q3. A first diode D1, a light emitting diode LED, resistors R1 and R2 and a first variable resistor VR1 for a potentiometer are connected to an output terminal of the tertiary coil T3 of the transformer T. The first transistor Q1 has its base connected to a variable terminal of the first variable resistor VR1 via a first Zener diode ZD1.
The cerebral cell activation apparatus further comprises an oscillator 2 including a first capacitor C1 being charged with an output voltage from the voltage controller 1 or discharging it. A second capacitor C2 and a second Zener diode ZD2 are connected in parallel to the first capacitor C1 via a resistor R4 and a second diode D2. A programmable unijunction transistor PUT has its anode connected to a resistor R5 and a second variable resistor VR2, its gate connected to a common connection point of resistors R8 and R9 and its cathode connected to a resistor R7.
The cerebral cell activation apparatus further comprises an output circuit 3 including a silicon controlled rectifier SCR having its gate connected to an output terminal of the oscillator 2. The silicon controlled rectifier SCR further has its anode connected to a common connection point of a diode D5 and a ringing coil L.
Now, a description will be given of the operation of the conventional cerebral cell activation apparatus with the above-mentioned construction.
First, when the cerebral cell activation apparatus is powered on, a voltage is applied to the collector of the third transistor Q3 via the secondary coil T2 of the transformer T and then transferred to the base of the first transistor Q1 via a fixed bias resistor R3 connected thereto. As a result, the first transistor Q1 is turned on and current flows through the primary coil T1 of the transformer T, thereby causing the second transistor Q2 to be turned on.
At this time, a sinusoidal wave signal of 8-12 KHz is generated in the secondary coil T2 of the transformer T, resulting in a counter electromotive force being induced in the tertiary coil T3 of the transformer T. As a result, the third transistor T3 is turned on, thereby causing the first capacitor C1 to be charged with a counter electromotive force triggered by the first diode D1, which has charged the first capacitor C1 with an electromotive force.
On the other hand, if a voltage across the first variable resistor VR1 for the potentiometer exceeds a threshold voltage set in the first Zener diode ZD1, then the Zener diode ZD1 conducts to turn off the first transistor Q1. Further, an electromotive force charged on the first capacitor C1 is stabilized by the second Zener diode ZD2 and second capacitor C2 via the resistor R4 and second diode D2. The programmable unijunction transistor PUT generates a saw tooth wave signal of 4-20 Hz for the trigger of the silicon controlled oscillator SCR according to a difference between a voltage set therein and a voltage dropped through the resistor R5, the second variable resistor VR2 and the resistors R8 and R9. At this time, the saw tooth wave signal is adjusted in level by adjusting a resistance of the second variable resistor VR2. Then, the triggering saw tooth wave signal generated by the programmable unijunction transistor PUT is applied to the gate of the silicon controlled rectifier SCR to turn the rectifier on, thereby changing the coil L from a ringing state to a resonant state. As a result, the first capacitor C1, which has been charged with a counter electromotive force, is recharged with an electromotive force via the diode D5.
With the operation being performed in the above manner, a signal of a desired frequency is generated in the ringing coil L and then applied to cerebral cells to stimulate them.
However, the above-mentioned conventional cerebral cell activation apparatus has a disadvantage in that it cannot generate alpha (xcex1) waves. Further, it may rather disturb brain waves of a person because the ringing coil L is designed to oscillate at a frequency varying continuously from 1 to 20 Hz.
For these reasons, the conventional cerebral cell activation apparatus exerts partial effects on physical relaxation and sleep regulation, but has no effect on an increase in the studying efficiency of students or the working efficiency of workers.
Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an alpha wave generation apparatus for generating alpha waves of 4 Hz, 8 Hz and 10 Hz capable of activating cerebral cells and applying them to a cerebrum to stimulate it and thus activate its cells, thereby improving a person""s studying effect and concentration, getting rid of his stress, lending him assistance to the promotion in his health, clearing up his insomnia, improving the competitiveness of athletes and enhancing the intellectual power of children of little intelligence as much as possible.
It should be noted that the present alpha wave generation apparatus is applicable to all industrial fields desiring the alpha waves as well as the above-mentioned object.
In accordance with the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by a provision of an alpha wave generation apparatus comprising voltage control means including a first resistor connected in parallel to an adapter jack and a battery, a converter for supplying power to a microcomputer, a first coil and a first diode connected in series between the first resistor and an input terminal of the converter, a second resistor for maintaining an input voltage to the microcomputer constant in level, and a first capacitor being charged with an input voltage to the converter or discharging it; function control means including an ON/OFF switch, a grade DOWN switch, a grade UP switch and a function switch; display means for providing a visual indication of the present operation state to the user; the microcomputer for controlling the entire system operation and performing an analog/digital conversion function, a pulse width modulation function and a digital/analog conversion function; frequency generation means including frequency oscillation means for performing a frequency oscillating operation in response to a control signal from the microcomputer, and reset means for resetting the system when an abnormal state occurs in the system, the reset means including a plurality of third resistors, a second capacitor and a first transistor; and output means including amplification means for amplifying an output frequency signal from the frequency generation means and outputting the amplified signal through a second coil, and analog output means for outputting a control signal to the amplification means in response to an output signal from the function control means, the analog output means including a second transistor turned on in response to a function selected by the function switch, and a transformer having a primary coil for receiving an output voltage from the voltage control means via a bias resistor when the second transistor is turned on and a secondary coil for inducing a voltage at a predetermined turn ratio relative to the primary coil, the amplification means including a third transistor for receiving the voltage induced in the secondary coil of the transformer in the analog output means via a second diode and outputting a frequency signal corresponding to the received voltage to the second coil in response to the control signal from the analog output means.